This episode offers a structured, bedside-focused exploration of Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) for acute hypercapnic respiratory failure in COPD, aligned with NICE NG115 and BTS/ICS 2016 guidance. Aimed at early-career critical care nurses, it breaks the topic down into physiology, practical setup, monitoring, and escalation.Key Topics CoveredMechanisms behind acute-on-chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure in COPD.How NIV improves […] The post Non Invasive Ventilation appeared first on Critic...
Nov 13, 2025•15 min
HHS (Hyperosmolar Hyperglycaemic State) is the quiet counterpart to DKA. It develops slowly in older type 2 diabetics with residual insulin, leading to extreme hyperglycaemia and dehydration without ketosis. In this 2-hour deep dive, Jonathan explains why HHS kills through water loss and hyperviscosity rather than acid, and how to manage it safely.Key Learning Points:· Pathophysiology: Relative […] The post HHS (Hyperosmolar Hyperglycaemic State) appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Oct 31, 2025•32 min
The post DKA- Fluids, Potassium and Insulin appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Oct 24, 2025•23 min
Summary:In this episode, we spotlight a stealthy ICU disruptor — hypophosphataemia. Based on a 2024 narrative review in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, we explore why phosphate matters, how it goes missing in critically ill patients, and why you should care even when it’s just “a little low.”What’s Covered:The vital role of phosphate in energy, […] The post Hypophosphatemia in Critical Care appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Oct 13, 2025•6 min
The post DKA in Critical Care appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Oct 01, 2025•9 min
Mobilisation in the ICU raises two big questions: is it safe, and will staff embrace it?In this discussion, Jonathan explores both sides of the story:Safety first:Large prevalence studies show mobilisation is happening, though often inconsistently.A systematic review of 1,800+ sessions found serious adverse events in only 0.6% — most minor and short-lived.Even patients on CRRT can safely mobilise […] The post Mobilisation in Critical Care- Barriers and Culture appeared first on Critical Care Pra...
Sep 24, 2025•5 min
SummaryFor much of critical care history, immobility was the norm: patients were sedated, kept still, and “protected.” But decades of research have revealed the hidden costs — profound muscle wasting, delirium, and long-term disability.Jonathan explores how our understanding of mobilisation in ICU has evolved — from the recognition of harm caused by bedrest, to the […] The post Episode 1- Mobilisation in the ICU appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Sep 16, 2025•7 min
Sedation practices in the ICU have evolved dramatically over the past decade — but are we truly following the evidence?In this episode of The Critical Care Practitioner Podcast, Jonathan takes you through the key milestones in sedation guidance, the persistent gap between recommendations and real-world practice, and the emerging shift toward human-centered, wakeful care.What You’ll […] The post Episode 6: Guidelines and the Future of Sedation in Critical Care appeared first on Critical Care Prac...
Sep 12, 2025•7 min
OverviewIn this episode we explore the three main sedatives used in critical care and how to choose the right agent for the right patient.HighlightsBenzodiazepines: once the workhorse of ICU sedation, but now linked to more delirium and longer ventilation. Still useful in alcohol withdrawal and seizures.Propofol: rapid on/off, easy to titrate, helpful for daily sedation […] The post Episode 5 — Sedation Choices: Benzos, Propofol, Dexmedetomidine appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Sep 03, 2025•7 min
The post Episode 4: Sedation Protocols – Turning Knowledge into Practice appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Aug 27, 2025•7 min
The post Episode 3: Sedation Depth Why going too deep can hurt. appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Aug 21, 2025•7 min
In this episode, I explore the origins and evolution of the daily sedation hold — also known as the spontaneous awakening trial (SAT) — one of the most influential shifts in ICU sedation practice.I unpack the key trials that demonstrated SATs could safely reduce ventilation time and ICU stay, and examines how these findings became standard care. But it's […] The post CCP Podcast: Episode 2 The sedation hold game changer or risky routine? appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Aug 12, 2025•7 min
In this episode, I explore how sedation practices in critical care have evolved over time — from the routine use of deep, continuous sedation to the early evidence that challenged it. You'll hear about pivotal studies that revealed the risks of over-sedation, the emergence of structured sedation protocols, and the beginnings of a culture shift […] The post CCP Podcast: Episode 1 A short history of sedation in ICU appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Aug 05, 2025•7 min
This is a conversation I had with Francesca Trotta, a nurse from Rome who is at the last stages in her PhD. This was at the BACCN conference in Aberdeen in 2024. The post CCP Podcast: Whats an ITU stay like for patients families? appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Oct 16, 2024•16 min
This is a chat I had with David Wightwick who is the CEO of UK Med a humanitarian medical aid charity. This happened at the BACCN 2024 conference in Aberdeen. The post CCP Podcast: Working in war zones and Disaster Areas appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Oct 09, 2024•27 min
This is a conversation I had with professor Tim Buchman who is Professor of Surgery and founding director at the Emory Centre for Critical Care in the US. We discuss the advent of Advanced Practice in the US and how it will inform the same developments in the UK The post Are ACCPs here to stay? appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Jul 25, 2024•11 min
AI is here! How will it effect us and how can we use it to make learning fun with AI, or not use it to help with our work? Aarti gives some easy to understand explanations of the key concepts. The post CCP Podcast: AI with Aarti Sarwal appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
May 07, 2024•16 min
This is a chat with Rowan Grieves, who works in Belfast, about her journey to become an ACCP and the hurdles she had to overcome when starting this new role. The post CCP Podcast: So you want to be an ACCP? appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Oct 10, 2023•34 min
This was originally a Facebook livestream with an ex patient- Carol Billian, Christine representing ICU Steps, a group helping support ICU survivors and Peter Nydahl from Germany who also aims to support the same group. The post CCP Podcast- Patient Diaries appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Mar 28, 2023•56 min
This is a chat I had with Dr Daniel Watkin about his QI project to assess compliance with the guidelines and how they went about improving it. You can find the paper here- 'Beyond Audit: Embracing QI methodology to drive improvements in lung-protective ventilation' The post CCP Podcast- Lung Protective Ventilation- How to improve our practice. appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Mar 22, 2023•23 min
This is a chat with Tamas Szakmany about the paper 'Impact of early tracheostomy versus late or no tracheostomy in nonneurologically injured adult patients: a systematic review and meta analysis' and his editorial 'When more could mean less intervention: the tale of tracheostomy timing in critical illness' The post CCP Podcast: When to do the tracheostomy appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Feb 10, 2023•29 min
This is a chat with Professor John Laffey about the WEAN_SAFE study. Weaning from mechanical ventilation in intensive care units across 50 countries (WEAN SAFE): a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study The post CCP Podcast- Weaning our patients. appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Feb 02, 2023•32 min
A discussion with Michelle about the recent paper she played a part in discussing the conversation s we have, or don't about Do No Resuscitate orders. The experiences of adult patients, families, and healthcare professionals of CPR decision-making conversations in the United Kingdom: A qualitative systematic review. The post CCP Podcast: Do Not Resuscitate- the conversations we have. appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Jan 27, 2023•42 min
Brigitta and colleagues have just published 'The rate and assessment of muscle wasting during critical illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.' Some important and interesting discussion points. The post ICU Acquired Weakness and Muscle Wasting appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Jan 13, 2023•29 min
Great discussion with Dr Emma Ridley a dietitian from Australia about how they planned to look after the nutritional requirements of COVID patients. A lot of pointers about how we care for their needs when they haven't got COVID too. The post Podcast- Nutrition management for critically and acutely unwell hospitalised patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Australia and New Zealand appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
May 30, 2022•51 min
Vikki has been a clinical lead for Organ Donation in the past so I spent some time picking her brains about the role of the Organ Donation team and how that affects how we look after our patients. Lots of really valuable insights. The post Organ Donation from the Frontline- with Vikki Howarth appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
May 29, 2022•1 hr 10 min
This study entitled "Prone Positioning in Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome" was published in 2013 and its aim was to evaluate the effect of early application of prone positioning on outcomes of patients with severe ARDS. It was a multicentre, prospective, randomised controlled trial mainly in French Hospitals. The primary outcome was 28 day mortality. Recruited patients had […] The post Proning- The PROSEVA Trial appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Mar 21, 2022
Let’s improve our understanding of the capnograph. Very valuable when caring for your patient. The post CCP Podcast- End Tidal CO2 appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Mar 13, 2022
We all go grab the essential equipment when we need to intubate the patient. Buts what’s it all for? In this podcast I cover some of this. If you want to join me on FREE 15 Minute Friday go find the Critical Care Practitioner page on Facebook. The post FREE 15 Minute Friday- Intubation- whats all that equipment? appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner ....
Mar 06, 2022
It could be that they have dropped quickly or slowly. Either way its sensible to have a thought process ready so that you might be able to solve it! This is what I cover in this podcast. The post Free 15 Minute Friday- Why have my patients sats dropped? appeared first on Critical Care Practitioner .
Feb 25, 2022•20 min
